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Nine years in, Dolphins DE Cameron Wake still loves training camp

PHILADELPHIA—One relatively underrated storyline for the Dolphins this preseason is the incredible condition of veteran defensive end Cameron Wake.

Not only does Wake look like he’s in impeccable shape, but he’s an extra year past the ruptured Achilles tendon that threatened his career and he’s been very productive on the field. Miami coach Adam Gase said today he looks like a 25-year-old out there.

The reason, in part, is because Wake doesn’t dread this portion of the calendar. He loves the rigors of training camp.

“I like stress,” he said. “I like to fight. I like to grind. I feel like it separates people. Everybody is going to be great in shorts and shoulder pads, playing two plays, coming off of the field and going through the bags. That’s great, but what happens if you’ve got 10 plays in a row, it’s hot and you’re a little beat up? That’s going to separate the men from the boys.

“That’s going to show your true nature and that’s what’s going to make guys want to line up next to you in the regular season or not. We all know. Everybody strapping up the pads knows if this guy’s going to be a wolf or a sheep. Those are the kind of guys you want.”

Wake is coming off an 11.5-sack season despite coming off the bench the first five years. If he equals that or improves upon it this season, that raises the question of whether he might still be here for a while.

Wake said he hasn’t considered whether he wants to play into his 40s, but that looks increasingly possible for him.

“I don’t think too far ahead,” he said. “When I’m 36, I’ll think about 37. When I’m 37, I’ll think about 38. I’m not thinking 10 years from now. I’m just thinking about the next obstacle and defeating that and moving on… When I get on the field, I feel productive, I feel explosive, I still feel good.”